Early Quaker Women in Ministry :: Religion Religious History

Early Quaker Women in MinistryThe Account of the Travels, Sufferings, and Persecutions of Barbara Blaugdone gives us an insight into the traveling ministry of the works namesake, Barbara Blaugdone, the Quaker woman who persevered through trial subsequently trial to come out on top. As she says, I can speak it to the glory of God, he never moved me to any thing, notwithstanding that he gave me Power to perform it (Blaugdone 8). In other words, God gave Blaugdone no trial that He did not also give her the power to overcome. However, Blaugdone was only one of umpteen Quaker women to minister of religion and circumstances the Truth that the Quakers so loved. While the majority of active Quaker ministers were men (Trevett 70), women in the Quaker movement enjoyed opportunities to minister, both in private and publicly, while sharing in many of the trials of their male counterparts.Much of what the Quakers considered ministry was less visible to the general public. For Quakers, mi nistry encompassed not just preaching, prophecy, and other overtly religious activity, but also any witnessing to the faith, be it in the home, the marketplace or workplace. An eccentric had to be set in all those places (58). Many Quaker women performed more feminine tasks in addition to preaching and program line (43). For example, they saw to the poor and needy, with extra care given to less fortunate Quakers (58). Other women set an example to public officials by standing alongside their husbands in demonstration of their faith (60). When imprisoned, which happened often enough to Quaker men and women alike, these stalwart, godly people continued to share their faith with those around them (Bauman 67). Still other women followed the example of the great early Quaker leader Margaret Fell, who ensured . . . that no ministering Friend lacked coat, stocking, or shoes, and provided for Friends on the road. (Trevett 56). When called, though, Quaker women opted to minister i n a more public fashion.To the Quakers, a woman in a public ministry role was the fulfillment of Gods Will as opposed to the disobedience of divine directive. They believed that ministers were called and served by the ability God gave them, and that women were equally eligible to serve in the ministry (Bauman 36). This philosophy directly opposed a long-observed teaching from 1 Timothy 211-12, Let the woman learn in silence, with all subjection.